Holiday with children? You (and they) will be happy in these 7 countries

Reto Fehr

Yes, we start very simply: with Austria. The hospitality has long been known, you can travel comfortably by car or public transport and there are several regions that are extremely focused on family holidays (such as Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis). Austrian family hotels have a very good reputation here.

Active families who enjoy being outdoors will feel especially at home in Austria. But even if there are rainy days: just like in Switzerland, the same applies in Austria: indoor playgrounds and other activities can be found almost everywhere.

In addition, the significantly lower price level compared to Switzerland. This quickly becomes an important argument for families with several children.

Also accessible by your own car, but a longer road trip: Romania. You can also fly there, but if you have time for the road trip/train journey, take it.

In Romania we were surprised how far we got with German. Older people in particular often still speak good German. Moreover, the people were extremely helpful and nice. If you have small children, you will of course benefit slightly more.

Romania is fantastic for all palace and castle fans. Whether it concerns Hunedoara Castle, the fortress of Saint George or of course the Dracula Castle of Bran: in Transylvania you will feel like you are in paradise.

If you also want to go to the sea: At Constanta the beaches on the Black Sea are endless and it feels like somewhere in the south.

For me, Wales is one of the most underrated holiday destinations for Swiss people. Here you can also take a road trip to Wales by car. However, traffic on the British island is on the left and you are obviously faster by plane. It is also possible to travel to Bristol or Liverpool and then cross the border.

Basically the same applies here: if your children like palaces and castles, it will be great. The south coast also offers beautiful beaches.

But of course the British weather is not always suitable for a beach holiday. Then in the north in the Snowdonia National Park there is the opportunity for various walks. Don’t miss the cute towns like Tenby, Aberystwyth or Llandudno along the coast; they are also easy to explore with smaller children.

We come to a classic: Mallorca. Yeah, that might be a bit simple. But Mallorca has a number of almost unbeatable advantages: you get there quickly, there are no time differences, but you can still enjoy carefree days by the sea even in autumn (or spring).

You don’t have to explain to your children on the infamous beaches of Magaluf or at Ballermann why everyone is so happy there at lunch. Discover other parts of the island. There are many pearls there.

There is hardly a country that has surprised me more positively than Jordan. And the ruined city of Petra is hardly a globally famous attraction, which I’ve seen in photos a hundred times, but then completely blew me away when I experienced it in person. So vast, so impressive, so incredible (go early in the morning, otherwise there will be a lot of tourists).

However, Petra is not everything. Float in the Dead Sea, experience the desert in Wadi Rum, swim and snorkel in the Red Sea and get lost in the market of Aqaba. Even with children everything is easy and there is something for every age. Jordan can be reached quickly with a flight time of about 4 hours and the time change is short. An adventure of 1001 nights.

The last two rides take us a little further. We start in Namibia. Here you can escape the cold season in the Northern Hemisphere. Climb the tallest sand dune in the world, spot the Big 5 in national parks, discover an old gold mining town, swim in the (rather cold) sea – kids will love the variety.

An ideal country to discover the endless expanses with your own car, spend the night in camps or tents and enjoy the starry sky. Namibia is – partly due to its history as a German colony (and therefore some residents who still speak German) – one of the easiest countries in Africa to travel to.

Pura Vida. Pure (real) life, that is what Costa Rica promises. Not only in advertisements, but also many travelers to Costa Rica always think of these two words.

Whether you want a beach holiday, rainforest, wildlife or volcanoes, it’s all possible in Costa Rica. Plus the capital San José, where life is vibrant.

Which also speaks for family holidays: Costa Rica is considered one of the safest countries in Central America, has a good infrastructure for the region (for example in the field of healthcare) and is probably not called the “Switzerland of Central America” for nothing. ” named.